English Dub Review: Tamon’s B-Side “F/ACE and the Summer Vacation”
OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)
Utage assists F/ACE during their summer training camp, with Keito on patrol for any potential scandals, but gets trapped with Tamon in an abandoned building!
OUR TAKE
It’s the resolution of the Keito arc! I mainly jest since Keito has been a pretty small part of things compared to when Ouri got a few episodes to himself, but as mentioned last time, he represents a distinct perspective on being an idol that Tamon and Ouri haven’t had, which is being wary of any chance for a scandal to ruin things for the group. Yes, he also cares about money too, but this is a job after all, so he and the other boys BETTER be getting paid for their time and effort in this! And he’s understandably suspicious of Utage, since as a flag waving fangirl of Tamon specifically, giving her access to the group at a vulnerable time doing this “training camp” that is also being fully recorded could VERY EASILY become a disaster if she isn’t kept in check. Luckily for him, we’ve been following Utage all this time and know full well that she’s a decent person who is here because she’s had a positive influence on Tamon, and to a lesser extent Ouri. And with the couple times he and Utage get to interact, her good character becomes clear to him and he actually learns to open up to his bandmates. I like how the rest of the group warning up to Utage isn’t like a big thing for her to overcome, but just a way that she as a more down to earth person is able to connect with these guys who may be disconnected from things because of their fame.
Though as a beach trip, that also becomes subject to the cliches of these sorts of stories in anime. Doing fireworks, tests of courage, hiding under sheets during secret meetings, and so on. For Utage specifically, she ends up in an abandoned building and stuck behind doors that only open one way. Tamon comes to her rescue, only for the doors to close behind him, leading to the two of them being rescued by the staff and crew on the shoot. But then we have the ending, where Utage and Tamon reflect on things at the beach and Tamon reaches to get something off her face…only for Ouri to see them from an angle that makes it look like they’re kissing. With Ouri clearly growing a crush on Utage and having a pre-established rivalry with Tamon, this could lead to some friction in the group, but I’m sure it’ll get resolved before the end of the remaining five episodes, especially if she and Tamon actually realize their genuine feelings for one another.
